Hi, my new here. My names jade, 22. I suffer with extreme panic disorder and general anxiety. I started with both of these when I was 16 (mini breakdown, too overloaded) but for a few years it settled after fighting with it for around a year, became on a blink of anerexia lost all motivation, anyway, reacently I've become just as bad as I was when I forst started with it, but it's harder this time round as I have a 15 month old baby boy so I feel I'm more anxious because I'm hiding it from him (as much as I possibly can) most days which means night times are always the worse because it catches up with me, my panic attacks seem to last about 15 minutes a go with a gap between each one of around 5 minutes all day and night, I'm just really struggling with the feelings and side effects of having constant anxiety and panic attacks.

would really like some tips on how I can try and get this under control?

I've come along way since the beginning of just week last, which I feel is good progress. I tried ADs but they made me very ill so had to stop them suddenly, (advised by the doctor) I know now never to do that again as the withdrawals caused more issues I think. X

Go to your doctor and explain, talk to someone who you can trust,try to understand how your mind works when you are uptight, anxiety is your mind thinking into the future or past and making up negative stories...

I have been to the doctors and I started ADs but they made me very ill, I've signed up for therapy but this can take up too 8 weeks to been seen here. I'm trying too keep myself busy and active as possible which at the start is awful and I feel disgusting but once I am out and about it makes me feel much better. I'm hoping the progress I'm making and I'm not fighting with my anxiety I'm doing things too take my mind of it the more I do things, regardless of how bad my anxiety is, the easier it will be too deal with it x

Hello Jade, i'm a former sufferer of panic attacks and anxiety. I found that what helped me the most was reading about it and understanding what anxiety actually is and why I had it. Yes, it is harder to concentrate and read when you are anxious, but it is also a good way to distract you from your anxiety. I also found therapy helpful and sites like this that helped me realize how common it is and i was not alone. I also took meds and am still on a small, maintenance dose. I would suggest, if possible, to find a therapist who specializes in treating panic/anxiety disorder. I also recently read what I think is the best book on anxiety called "Quit Anxiety Now with Smart Therapy" by Salee Mclaren. It's available on Amazon in Kindle and hard copy. It's a bit of a slog at the beginning but definitely worth reading. She does talk about not needing meds for anxiety, but I ignored that part. I had anxiety disorder for years and meds were one of the first stages of treatment back then. Personally, I did find that meds alone will not solve or eliminate the anxiety disorder and that understanding and acceptance of it were key.

Jade, panic attacks are horrible but they are not life threatening and they cannot disable you and they can't send you crazy.

Somehow your nervous system has become over sensitive due to worry, stress and overwork. In this state our nerves play tricks on us and panic attacks is one of many.

The problem with panic is that it makes us fearful - so every time we experience an attack we produce more fear hormones which flood our nervous system keeping it in a state of sensitivity. It's a vicious circle.

The solution to panic attacks (as with all the symptoms of anxiety disorder) is to refuse to be intimidated by them. If you can lose your fear of them you starve them of the hormones they thrive on. If you stop fearing them long enough your nerves return to normal and the bad feelings stop.

So what I suggest you do is to ACCEPT the panic attacks for the time being as calmly and with the minimum of fear that you can. Think of them as a nuisance but don't fight them because fighting only causes more strain and tension. Accept them completely, agree to co-exist with them for a while and do so without fear.

Say to yourself: "So I'm having a panic attack, so what? It's not nice but it can't kill me and I can still function so why should I care? A panic attack is a bully but I've had enough, I'm going to start standing up to you so get lost! Panic attacks, you don't scare me any more - I'm giving you notice to quit, so bog off!"